American Football Idioms | Camford Publishing

Table of Contents

1. Hail Mary

A “Hail Mary” is a desperation play in American football where a quarterback throws a long pass in the final moments of a game in the hopes of making a touchdown. The term “Hail Mary” is now used to describe any last-ditch effort to achieve a goal.

2. Drop the ball

To “drop the ball” in American football means to fail to catch a pass that was intended for you. In everyday use, it means to make a mistake or fail to complete a task that was expected of you.

3. Touchdown

In American football, a “touchdown” is scored when a player carries the ball across the opposing team’s goal line or catches a pass in the end zone. The term “touchdown” is now used to describe a significant accomplishment or success.

4. On the same page

In American football, it is important for all members of a team to be “on the same page” in terms of strategy and tactics. In everyday use, it means to have a shared understanding or agreement with others.

5. Move the goalposts

In American football, the goalposts are the vertical bars that mark the ends of the playing field. “Moving the goalposts” means to change the rules or standards of a situation in order to make it more difficult to achieve success.

6. Tackle

In American football, a “tackle” occurs when a player stops the progress of an opposing player by bringing them to the ground. In everyday use, it means to confront or deal with a problem or challenge.

These American football idioms are frequently used in both formal and informal contexts, and they can help to add color and variety to your language.

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